Pressure actuated fountain toothbrush



March 17, 1953 F. PERwAS 2,631,762

PRESSURE ACTUATED FOUNTAIN TooTHBRUsH Filed June e, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 March 17, 1953 l.. F. PERWAS 2,631,762

PRESSURE ACTUATED FOUNTAIN TooTHBRusH Filed June e, 1945 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 l 74m 'I4 IN VEN TOR.

ATTE! R N EYS Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRESSURE ACTUATED FOUNTAIN 'roo'rnBRUsH Ludwig F. Perwas, New York, N. Y.

Application June 6, 1945, Serial No. 597,749

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-402) This invention relates to fountain tooth brushesl dentifrice, and the other adapted to create suc-- tion therein to draw dentifrice into the reservoir for refilling.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a fountain tooth brush in which a dentifrice contained therein is fed by air pressure to the bristles of the head and in which means is provided for readily refilling the brush.

Fountain tooth brushes are not generally accepted by the trade because they are usually too bulky and diicult to rell. With this thought in min-d this invention contemplates a tooth brush having an offset head with a handle oval shape in cross section, to facilitate gripping and also to provide suflicient area for oppositely operating pumping elements for forcing dentifrice therefrom and replenishing dentifrice therein.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient, and positively operating fountain tooth brush wherein the elements are comparatively small so that it may be carried as a fountain pen.

With these and other objects in view the invention embodies an elongated substantially hollow handle, oval shape in cross section, having a reservoir therein and having a cap for enclosing a brush head at one end and a closure at the other, wherein a brush head is removably attached to an offset nipple at one end of the handle and manually actuated pressure and suction cylinders are provided at the opposi-te end.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the fountain brush showing the brush head on the offset nipple and the pressure and suction cylinders with the intermediate portion of the handle broken away.

Figure 2 is. also a longitudinal section through the fountain brush taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1, with the intermediate portion of the handle broken away.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the handle on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar section through the handle taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, showing the relative positions of the pressure and suction cylinders.

Figure 5 is also a section through the handle taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1 showing a spring clip for holding the closure to the handle.

Figure 6 is -a detail showing a section through the closure and adjoining end of the handle illustrating the mounting of the spring clip therein.

Figure '7 is a cross section taken on line 1-1 of Figure 2 showing the brush head mounting at the end of the nipple.

Figure 8 is a similar section on line 8 8 of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is an edge view of the nut shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a detail showing a needle valve element of a check valve in the brush head.

Figure 11 is a detail showing a longitudinal section through the pressure cylinder illustrating the relative positions of the valves therein.

Figure l2 is a similar section through the suction or vacuum cylinder.

Figure 13 is a cross section through the connecting rods of the cylinders taken on line I3-I3 of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the rounded edges and crevices of the knurled surface of the nut shown in Figures 8 and 9.

Referring now to the drawings wherein lik reference characters indicate corresponding parts the fountain tooth brush of this invention includes a brush head I having tufts of bristles 2 with a channel 3 extending into the inner end 4and provided with an outlet opening 4. In the channe1 3 is a valve chamber 5 and a valve stem 6 with a slotted head 'I is slidably mounted therein with the pointed end of the valve stem held by a spring 8 against a seat 9 in the end of the channel. The end of the channel 3 in the brush head is provided with internal threads I!) and with a washer II against the end I2 thereof the head is threaded on an offset nipple I3 at the end of the handle. The nipple is provided with a lock nut I4 having wrench receiving notches Ida therein by which the lock nut may be adjusted to secure the brush head in operative positions.

A conical shaped section with an opening I5 therein is provided adjacent the brush head and the offset nipple I3 on which the brush head is carried extends therefrom. Extending from the section having the opening I5 therein is the oval shaped handle Il' which is connected thereto by a sealed joint I8 and the handle is provided with a reservoir I9 for holding a dentifrice. The end of the handle is provided with transversely positioned openings 20 which are formed in inwardly extending bosses 2l, and springs 22 are provided in the openings which urge latch elements 23 outward. The latch elements are retained by washers 24 which permit the outerv ends of the latch elements to snap into indentations 25 in a cap 26 that provides an enclosure for the brush head.

The cap 2t is also oval shape in. cross section and the outer end is provided'with a pocket clip 21 and has Ventilating openings 28 therethrough.

The handle Il is formed of a tubular casing, oval shape in cross section, and at the outerend 29 is a pumping section 33 having juxtapositioned cylinders 3i and 32 therein, one of which is adapted to build up air pressure in the reservoir 1.8, andthe otherV being adapted, to withdraw a'i-r to create suction therein. rIfhe cylinders are separated by a partition 33 and the cylinder 3! has an outlet opening 33 whereas the cylinder 32 has an inletopening 35, the said outiet and inlet openings providing communicating means between the cylinders and storage chamber. The Opening 34' is provid-ed with a ball check valve 3% that isl opened by suction in the cylinder 3i to permit the air to be drawn from the reservoir, and the opening 35 is provided with an. oppositely positioned ball check valve 3l that' permits air to bel pumped into the reservoir whereby pressure is created. in the reservoir` A piston 33 is providedv in the cylinder c l, and a similar piston 3Stis provided i-n theV cylinderaand it will be noted that the piston 38 is provided with a ball check valve 4d' thatl is positioned to close an opening through the piston as the. piston moves outward, and the piston 39: is provided with an oppositely positioned ball check valve i that is positioned to close asV the piston travelsy inwardfto create pressure in thel reservoir, and open'as the piston is moved outward.

Each of thev pistons is provided with a piston rod 'having tubular connectingv rods 43 threaded internally extending through theiouter ends of the cylinders, actuating rods fie are threadedv in the connecting rods. The outer portions of the connecting rods e3. areprovided withair passages e providing communicating means with the interior thereof. Onthe outer ends of the actua-ting rods fifi are knurled nuts (it. having threaded Shanks. il adapted to be screwed into internally threaded, bosses ld of the cylinderl heads 49. When it is desired to actuate either of the pumps the nut i3 thereof is unscrewed from the bossof the cylinder head and then the rod 4 is unscrewed from the connecting rod so that the knurled nut extends outward beyond the endof the casing to facilitate gripping by thev thumb and forennger so that the piston may be readily actuated.

As shown in igures l, 5, and 6, the cylinder head 49 is provided with a projection-53 having arcuate` side surfaces with a narrow neck Si, and spr-ing arms 52 of aU-shapedclip 53v are adapted to snap over the projection. rEhe clip. 53 isfprovided` With outwardly extending arms 5t which are pivoted at the point 55 through a pin 53m a slot 51- of a, bracket 53- in a closure 53, and with the armsy of the clip- 53 withdrawn from the projection 5G the closure may be. removed to facilitate operation of the pistons in the cylinders.

Witlmthe elements arranged and assembledas described the cap and closure may be removed from the casing and by pumping the cylinder 32 air may be pumped into the reservoir to build up pressure therein so that dentifrice in the reservoir Will be forced by the air pressure into the bristles of the brush head; and after the dentifrice is depleted the piston in the cylinder 3l may be actuated to withdraw air from the reservoir thereby creating Vsuction therein so that with the brush head removed and the end of the nipple I3 connected to a dentifrice container the dentifri'ce will be drawn into the reservoir. 'I'he oppositely positioned valves 33 and 3l in the inner ends of the cylinders may be of any suitable type, however, in the design shown they are formed with ballshel'din the openings 34 and 35 by retainers Se as shown in Figures 11 and 12.

A valve 6 is also provided in the channel 3 of the brush. head to prevent moisture and the like entering the reservoir through the channel.

It will be. understood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement ofthe parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.r

I claim:

In a fountain, tooth brush the combination which comprises a tubular handle, oval-shape in cross section, with av pumping section in one end and a dentifrice opening inthe opposite end and having a pair of spaced parallel cylinders in the said pumping section, a transverselydisposed partition pesitioned in the handle providing heads in the ends of the said cylinders', pistons having tufoular rods extended from one of the sides thereof in the cylinders with said rods extended through the heads ofthe cylinders, thumb nuts on the outer ends of the.- piston rods and threaded inthe said cylinder heads, said cylinders having passages through the inner ends thereof providing communicating means between the cylinders and interior of the said handle, check valves in said pistons,A check valves in the passages in the inner' ends of thev cylinders, the valvesY in theY pistons and; innerend of one cylinder' being posi'- tionedf oppositelyto the, valves'rin the piston and inner end of the other cylinder whereby upon outward movement off the;- piston of one cylinder fluid is` drawn into; theY interior of` the.v handle through. said dentifrice. opening and uponinward movementY of thepist'onof theothercylinder air' is forced into the handle to feedl dentifrice through said dentifrice` opening.

REFERENCES CITED The foiiowing references are.. of record in the lev of,l this patent:

France Nov. 21, 191.1` 

